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Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet, 2021a

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428<br />

EROEI<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Energy</str<strong>on</strong>g> Returned <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Energy</str<strong>on</strong>g> Invested: a measure of how profitable an energy source is in terms<br />

of energy, expressed as a ratio. For instance, a 9:1 EROEI means 9 units were extracted or<br />

produced for an investment of 1 unit, leaving a net gain of 8 units of energy. 1:1 is break-even,<br />

deriving no net energy benefit. 231, 235, 236, 278, 295, 297, 301, 302, 310, 311, 315, 339<br />

estimated total resource<br />

is an educated extrapolati<strong>on</strong> of proven reserves trying to characterize the amount of resource<br />

that may be ultimately found <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> extracted. 127, 131, 258<br />

ethanol<br />

(C 2 H 5 OH) is a liquid alcohol frequently produced as a biofuel having an energy density of<br />

∼7 kcal/g. 108, 230, 297, 377, 423<br />

eV<br />

electr<strong>on</strong>-volt. 198, 203, 248, 427, 432<br />

exp<strong>on</strong>ential growth<br />

happens when the rate of growth—as a percentage or fracti<strong>on</strong>—is c<strong>on</strong>stant. 2, 4, 31, 33, 61, 319,<br />

426, 434<br />

feedback<br />

is the resp<strong>on</strong>se of a system when a change is made that itself influences the change: either<br />

counteracting it as in negative feedback or amplifying it as in positive feedback. 145, 147, 424<br />

fill factor<br />

is a generic term describing the fracti<strong>on</strong> of total area occupied. For instance a polka-dot pattern<br />

of circles <strong>on</strong> a piece of fabric might have a fill factor of 15%. 189<br />

fissile<br />

describes a nucleus that is prodded into fissi<strong>on</strong> by a (slow) thermal neutr<strong>on</strong>. The three fissile<br />

233 235 239<br />

nuclides of interest are U, U, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pu. 255, 259, 262, 423, 425, 428<br />

fissi<strong>on</strong><br />

233 235<br />

is a nuclear process in which a heavy nucleus splits into two lighter nuclei. Only U, U,<br />

239<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pu are usually c<strong>on</strong>sidered as accessible nuclides that are fissile in the presence of slow<br />

(thermal) neutr<strong>on</strong>s. 85, 239, 249, 264, 289, 296, 423–425, 428, 432<br />

flexitarianism<br />

is the practice of pursuing dietary choices based <strong>on</strong> quantitative assessment of energy costs in an<br />

effort to keep the dietary energy factor low, without enforcing complete strictness, enjoying the<br />

occasi<strong>on</strong>al deviati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> special occasi<strong>on</strong>s or just to avoid being a pain to others. 342<br />

fossil fuel<br />

refers to an energy source buried in the ground, in the form of coal (solid), petroleum (liquid),<br />

or natural gas (gaseous). Fossil fuels represent ancient solar energy captured in living matter,<br />

processed <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> stored underground over milli<strong>on</strong>s of years. 7, 22, 27, 31, 61, 103, 104<br />

fracking<br />

is slang for hydraulic fracturing, a technique used to extract “tight” oil <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> gas resources locked<br />

up in less permeable rock formati<strong>on</strong>s. High-pressure fluids are used to create cracks in the rock<br />

that the allow oil <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>/or gas to flow. 120, 124, 128, 130, 232<br />

frequency<br />

characterizes the number of cycles per sec<strong>on</strong>d in a periodic phenomen<strong>on</strong> (often in wave<br />

phenomena). The units are Hertz, or 1/s. 79, 198, 426, 430, 434, 436<br />

fuel rod<br />

is a l<strong>on</strong>g cylinder having a high-enough c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong> of fissile material to be used in a nuclear<br />

fissi<strong>on</strong> reactor. 255, 256, 260, 263, 272, 423<br />

© 2021 T. W. Murphy, Jr.; Creative Comm<strong>on</strong>s Attributi<strong>on</strong>-N<strong>on</strong>Commercial 4.0 Internati<strong>on</strong>al Lic.; Freely available at:<br />

https://escholarship.org/uc/energy_ambiti<strong>on</strong>s.

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